Rejecting the idea that Congress can't control its spending impulses, the House turned back a Republican proposal Friday to amend the Constitution to dam the rising flood of federal red ink. Democrats -- and a few GOP lawmakers -- said damage from the balanced-budget mandate would outweigh any benefits.

Congressional negotiators made yet another push Friday to carve $1.2 trillion in savings from the federal debt, but they remained stuck in their entrenched positions on tax policy as the clock ran down on their efforts to reach a deal.

Congressional negotiators made yet another push Friday to carve $1.2 trillion in savings from the federal debt, but they remained stuck in their entrenched positions on tax policy as the clock ran down on their efforts to reach a deal.

An unapologetic Energy Secretary Steven Chu defended a half-billion-dollar federal loan to a solar-panel manufacturer that went belly up, even as he told a House committee Thursday that he was unaware of dozens of key details that led to the debacle over Solyndra Inc.